A typical dispensing device for supplying liquid, such as hot melt adhesive, generally includes a body having a valve stem that opens and closes a dispensing orifice. The valve stem is usually actuated in at least one direction by pressurized air or an electromagnetic coil to dispense discrete amounts of pressurized liquid. A return mechanism, such as a spring mechanism, is used to move the valve stem in an opposite direction against a valve seat. This stops the flow of liquid from the dispensing orifice. Such typical return mechanisms, and particularly spring mechanisms, apply a resistance against the opening force. The force or resistance of the return mechanism slows down the speed of the valve stem and thus increases the time of opening, thus reducing the amount of cycles possible with a particular system. Electromagnetic coils have been utilized to actuate the valve stem in only one direction, with a spring return in the other direction. However, such configurations are limited in terms of actuation speed due to the potential of overheating of the coils.
Despite the wide success of devices as described above, it would be desirable to provide a methods and devices that address these issues.